Formally established in April/75. But inter-college competition began unofficially in 1965. As early as 1963, Brandon College began playing regular games with Winnipeg colleges but there does not appear to have been any formal association or regular schedule until 1967. In 1963 and 1964, Brandon played in a senior B league, while in 1965 it only played exhibition games and was not part of the Manitoba Small Colleges Association.
The MCAA had three founding members: Assiniboine Community College in Brandon; Keewatin College in Le Pas; and Red River Community in Winnipeg
Discontinued after 1985-86 season.
Thereafter, teams participated in the Manitoba Christian Colleges Association, and variations therein.
The league was resurrected and operated as the Central Plains Athletic Conference in 2007 and 2008.
In September 2008, the league was recreated as the MCAC. Upon formation, the MCAC includes eight universities and colleges, including Assiniboine Community College, Booth College, Canadian Mennonite University, College Universitaire de St. Boniface, Providence College, Red River College and Steinbach Bible College in Manitoba, and Oak Hills Christian College in Bemidji, Minn. Wedlake, former University of Winnipeg coach and athletic director and former president of Basketball Manitoba, the Manitoba High Schools Athletic Association, and the National Association of Basketball Coaches of Canada, was named the league’s executive director. “The MCAC has tremendous potential … (to) become a conference that attracts Manitoba athletes who might otherwise head to Alberta or B.C. to play at the college level. We need to keep more of our athletes home in Manitoba,” said Wedlake. The MCAC competes in men’s & women’s basketball, volleyball, futsal and soccer.
The league has periodically considered re-application to the CCAA but CCAA regulations require that each league sport must have at least four team participating and the MCAC has several sports in which there are only two teams. That CCAA also requires that a majority of a member school’s players be Canadian, which is problematic for schools like the Universitaire de St. Boniface, at which 90% of students are foreign.
Participants past and present:
Assiniboine CC Cougars (Brandon)
Booth College
Brandon University (joined 2014-15 for soccer)
Canadian Mennonite Blazers
Keewatin CC (La Pas)
Oak Hills Christian Wolfpack (Bemidji, Minnesota)
Providence College Freemen
Red River Rebels (Winnipeg)
Universitairé de Saint-Boniface Voyageurs
Steinbach Bible College
University of Winnipeg College Wesmen
| YEAR | REGULAR SEASON | POSTSEASON | COACH |
| 63-64 | |||
| 64-65 | United College 35 Brandon College 34 | ||
| 65-66 | |||
| 66-67 | United College 49 Brandon College Caps 44 | Rod Fowler | |
| 67-68 | Brandon College | Jim Cotts | |
| 68-69 | |||
| 69-70 | |||
| 70-71 | |||
| 71-72 | |||
| 72-73 | Red River | Jon Gurban | |
| 73-74 | None | Red River | Jon Gurban |
| 74-75 | None | Red River (unchallenged?) | Hymie Fox |
1950
Brandon College Caps: Ron Perkins, Les McDorman, Al Tyler, Jack Muir, Peter Prokaska, Art Mantell, Gerald Gilroy, John Miller
1951
Brandon College Caps played in Manitoba senior B league.
Brandon College Caps: Ross George, Peter Proraska, Ron Bell, Dave Brodie, Keith McCulloch, Blair MacRae, Gordon Hunter, Johnny Miller, Jack Purvis, John Blackwood
1952
Brandon College Caps played in Brandon men’s league.
Brandon College Caps: Clive Bate, John Blackwood, Ross George, Gord Hunter, Keith Hurst, Keith McCulloch, Russ Roney, Jack Purvis, Arnold Wawruch, Roger Ramsden, Dave Brodie, Art Mantell, Laurie Craddock, John Brown, Murray Smith, Jim Minions, John Minions
1953
1954
Brandon College Caps: Jim Crawford, Ron McMurray, George Bell, Barrie McLeod, Laurie Craddock, Don Burrows, John Hsu, Don Brown, Russ Roney, Tom McClocklin
1955
Brandon College Caps finished 2nd in the Brandon men’s league. Then entered the Western Manitoba senior men’s league for the first time.
Brandon College Caps: Barry Mcleod, Ron McMurray, Laurie Craddock, Jim Crawford, Dick Tingley, Keith Haskins, Barrie Orr, Jack Tennant, Don Smith, Bob Lane, coach Curly Tyler, assistant W.D. Smith
1956
Brandon College Caps played in Brandon men’s league.
Brandon College Caps: Laurie Craddock, Barry McLeod, Russ Roney, Barrie Orr, Bob Lane, Keith Haskins, Paul Antrobus, coach Curly Tyler
1957
Brandon College Caps: Barrie Orr, Russell Roney, Bob Lane, Bob Simmons, Bob Williams, Bob Coleman, Gary Little, coach Curly Tyler
1958
Brandon College Caps: Dave Hitchins, Russell Roney, Henry Champ, McMurray, Bob Simmons, Ray Dziver, Murray, coach Bennett
1959
Brandon College Caps: Herb Massin, Lloyd McCabe, Henry Champ, Simmons, Bob Lawson, Ross, Whetter, Knight, Paul Antrobus, coach Whitey Anderson, manager Dave Hutchins
1960
Brandon College Caps: Dave Hitchins, Bob Simmons, Pat Krescy, Lloyd McCabe, George Trowell, Don MacMillan, coach Laskin
1961
Brandon College Caps: Ivan Traill, George Trowell, Pat Krescy, Don MacMillan, Don Cornell, Bob Gardner, Gerald Butler, coach Lou Heming
1962
Brandon College Caps: Tom Wilson, Bob Simmons, Don Cornell, Lynn Kuzenko, A.J. Josephson, Dale McFarlane, Art Oscar, Gale Goodnough, Rod Brown, Lorne Brown, Don Hermanson, coach Dan Old
1963
Brandon College Caps: Rod Brown, Bob Wilkins, Al Josephson; Dave Hickling; Morley English; J.M. Marshall; Tom Wilson; Stew Farnell; Gene Shaharow; Barry Diller; Bill Carr; Ken Bellas; coach Zach Marshall, manager Francis Hunter
1964
Brandon College finished (6-0) in the four-team Manitoba small colleges league. But the Caps did not participate in the provincial playoffs because of a conflict with examinations. The Caps (coached by J.M. Marshall, manager Lauri Ricou) included Dennis Searle, Bob Wilkins, Garth Hillman, Jack Maw, Moe English, Dave Smith, Al Josephson, Dave Hickling, Clayton Wade, Bill Carr, Lorne Brown and Al Robinson.
In the playoffs, the southern league was by the Lawson Lords.
In the semis, the Lawson Lords v the Dauphin winner.
In the final, the Winnipeg representative v the semi-final winner.
United College: Grubert,
1965
Manitoba Collegiate League (4 teams).
In the Winnipeg finals, United College defeated the Manitoba Institute of Technology (2g-0).
In the provincial final, the United College defeated the Brandon College Caps 35-34.
The silver medalist Brandon College Caps: Bill Carr; Lorne Lindenberg; Mo English
The champion United College: Brian Thompson; coach Ed Vidruk
1966
Brandon Bobcats: Al Josephson; Al Nixon; Blane Ward; Lorne Lindenberg; Bill Yard; Russ Reid; Ray Hurd; Jack Woodward; Jack Maw; Jon Mills; Dave Hickling; Don Taylor; coach Jim Cotts; manager Bill Schroder; statistician Ken Penton
1967
Rosters:
University of Manitoba Faculty of Education: Gary Gruebert, Ken Stunnell, Ed Duffield
In the final, United College edged the Brandon College Caps 49-44 as Doug Halmarson scored 18. Mel Harvey led the Caps with 12. Bill Myers added 11 and Lorne Lindenberg 9.
The silver medalist Brandon College Caps: Bill Myers; Lorne Lindenberg; Mel Harvey; Russ Reid; Bill Yard; Don Taylor; Ray Hurd; Murray ‘Mo’ MacMillan; Bill Schader; Jack Maw; Bill Chernesky; Al Nixon; Cal Foreman; coach Jim Cotts
The champion United College: Earl Allen; Gary McGregor; Keith Nymark; Bob Harrison; Gord Taylor; Ron Capelle; Doug Halmarson; coach Rod Fowler
1968
In the final standings: Brandon U (x-x); University of Winnipeg Jayvees (x-x); Manitoba Institute of Technology (4-3); Manitoba Vocational Centre (0-6)
Rosters:
Manitoba Vocational Centre: Neil Schmidt, Danny Sutherland, Darryl Brandon
Manitoba Institute of Technology: Brent Cullum
University of Manitoba Jayvees: Deacon, Robinson
The champion Brandon University Bobcats: Mel Harvey, Keith Hummel, Blake Semcoe, Ross Reid, Don Taylor, Bill Chernesky, Murray MacMillan, Stu Koenggen, Jim Stewart, Blake Semcoe, coach Jim Cotts
1969
Brandon U Bobcats: Steve Holden, Mel Harvey, Dave Bauman, Lorne Lagimodiere, Murray MacMillan, Paul McGregor, Russ Reid, Blake Semcow, Larry Rhodenbush, Jim Stewart, Ross Brownlee, Doug Ross, coach Gary Howard, manager Clark Fraser
1970
Members are: University of Winnipeg Junior Varsity; Manitoba Vocational Centre; Manitoba Institute of Technology; Northern Manitoba (The Pas) Vocational Centre; Brandon University
Brandon U Bobcats: Mel Harvey, Don Taylor, Dave Bauman, Willie Jerks, Jack Mitchell, Frank Lindall, Dwight Kearns, Blake Simcoe, Larry Rhodenbush, Doug Fraser, Mel Harvey, coach Gary Howard, manager Norman Joss, manager George Martin, coach Al Johnson
1971
Red River Rebels: Gary Vickery, Scott Gordon, John Shooenberg, Clarence Drebit, Greg Maddin.
1972
The Manitoba playoffs were a three-team, round-robin between Red River, Assiniboine and Keewatin CC from The Pas.
Red River Rebels: Gary Vickery,
1973
In the finals, the Red River CC Rebels defeated the Assiniboine Cougars x-x; x-x (Total: x-x).
The silver medalist Assiniboine Cougars:
The gold medalist Red River CC Rebels:
1974
Red River did not play a Manitoba college schedule but finished third in the Manitoba junior men’s league. The Rebels leading scorer, George Partyka, played four minutes but then was forced to the bench in a state of exhaustion. He was later diagnosed with pneumonia. The Rebels, a year earlier, had finished with an 0-14 record. A year earlier, Gurban had coached the University of Manitoba’s jayvee team to a national junior title.
The Rebels went unchallenged for Maniotba college honours.
The gold medalist Red River CC Rebels: Gary Hagen; Terry Burns; Peter Wilson; Kanu Emeruwa; Andy Maslowski; George Partyka; Nick Denkacz; Art Schillberg; Randy Wlosek; Gary Brezden; Scott Ritchie; Eric Springman; Terry Reimer; Ron Dyck; Neil Lyon; Lyle Jarvis; coach Jon Gurban; manager Tim Paul
1975
The gold medalist Red River CC Rebels: Terry Bruns; Arthur Arnott; Kanu Emerewa; Gary Hagen; Andy Maslowski; Sandy McBride; Scott Ritchie; Norm Smith; Dave Sastook; Peter Wilson; coach Hymie Fox